"Dr. Capaldi and his graduate students, led by Cristina Padilla, whose story is emphasized in the press release. Here’s how the press release begins:
"For decades, biologists have known that a protein complex called TORC1 acts as a master regulator of cell growth—turning growth
programs on when nutrients are available and shutting them down when conditions worsen. Now, a new study conducted at the University of Arizona reveals that TORC1 is far more sophisticated than previously believed. Instead of functioning as a simple on and off switch, TORC1 behaves more like a central computer that integrates different signals and then selectively turns specific pathways on and off – tuning metabolism, energy-intensive processes and cell division, all in real time."
LoNA appears when cells move from rich nutrients to poorer ones, not to starvation. In this state, the cell neither continues business as usual nor shuts down.
Instead, it reorganizes itself.
More than ninety percent of TORC1’s phosphorylation targets, the molecular settings through which it regulates cellular policy, shift to new configurations. Growth slows, but it does not stop. Metabolism is rebalanced. Transporters on the vacuole surface in yeast, or the lysosome in humans, are adjusted to draw in more resources. Autophagy begins in a limited and controlled way, recycling cellular components without triggering full shutdown.
t reveals TORC1 not as a simple pathway, but as a decision-making system with conditional logic, feedback, and distributed sensing. Calling it a “central computer” is not a metaphor of convenience." CEH
t reveals TORC1 not as a simple pathway, but as a decision-making system with conditional logic, feedback, and distributed sensing. Calling it a “central computer” is not a metaphor of convenience." CEH
